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The Process

Process

So how does this all play out? Here's an overview of the steps involved:

Sarah will give you a call and find out exactly what you need and your timings. She'll then compile a rebrief for you to review, to make sure nothing was missed and we're all on the same page. Then we’ll send through a cost estimate outlining the project, deliverables and timeline, along with a contract for you to sign. A non-refundable 50% deposit will be required to secure your booking and start the project.

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1

Project Scope

2

Discovery & Strategy

We’ll dig a bit deeper by sending through a questionnaire to find out everything about your brand and offering, your likes and dislikes, your hopes and dreams;  which you’ll return along with any visual references. Then meet with Sarah via video chat or in-person to discuss everything in detail. It’s important you’ve provided us with all your thoughts at this point, as this informs a strategy for the brand design and/or web work. We'll get you to sign-off the strategy before we proceed with design. 

 

For websites, we’ll create a spec document listing the number of pages, outline of content, navigation, functionality eg. forms, galleries, blog etc. For an ecommerce site it’ll include product architecture/navigation.

CONCEPT

Design concepts will be based on the strategy document and the number of concepts presented depends on what was included in your costing, for our Brand Package we present 2 concepts. For websites we provide 1 concept that includes 3 pages eg. Home, About, Contact. Designs will be presented over a shared screen video call or by email (PDF) with accompanied notes. Your feedback must be collated into one email, doc or call, this is the 1st of 2 rounds of amends included in most costings.

 

DEVELOPMENT

We’ll develop 1 concept based on your feedback. This might be 1 of the 2 concepts presented or elements from both options. For websites we’ll continue to develop the 1 concept based on your feedback, we'll then apply the design development to all web pages. Final feedback must be collated into one email, doc or call, this is the 2nd of 2 rounds of amends included in most costings.Then final refinements will be made.

 

Content: If you already have photos and copywriting we’ll get you to send these before starting the design phase. If you need us to help create content, check out more info in our FAQs below.

3

Design Phase

Payment Process

Once design is completed, final production takes place. For branding projects we’ll create a brand style guide and roll out your items. Digital stationery may include a letterhead template (Word or Google Doc), Slide presentation template (Powerpoint or Google Slides), EDM template (Mailchimp or Canva). For print and packaging we'll source production quotes and set up artwork files to printers specifications. We oversee print production to ensure the end result matches as close as possible to the design you approved onscreen, or we can arrange for printed samples before proceeding with a full print run. For websites, once the test site is approved we begin behind-the-scenes prep to get your site live, eg. domain transfer, on-page SEO, testing links and forms etc. 

 

50% payment balance is required before handing over files (to you and/or suppliers) and before websites go live.

4

Production Phase

Payment Process

50% TO START THE PROJECT, SECURING YOUR PLACE IN OUR SCHEDULE. THEN 50% BALANCE ON COMPLETION.

FAQs

Our FAQs

  • How long does a branding project take?
    Our Brand Package usually takes around 6 – 8 weeks, but this can vary on both our workloads (yours and ours), if you're unable to give feedback on key dates established in the timeline then delivery will get pushed out. The timeline is a guide, we understand how little time owner-operators have! We can work to your pace.
  • I'm not in Auckland, can we work remotely?
    Absolutely, we can video chat via Zoom, Skype or Facetime, work will be presented over a shared screen Zoom call and/or by PDF (email) with accompanied notes. We work with clients from Auckland, New Zealand-wide, Sydney, London and Europe. Working across different time zones doesn't effect the length of a project, just means a few meetings outside of NZ work hours!
  • I need a job done urgently, is this possible?
    Generally yes, if we're able to push out a less urgent booking, contact me to discuss sarah@dossier.co.nz
  • How many rounds of amends can I make?
    We generally allow for 2 rounds of amends, but it depends on your project and what we specified in your cost estimate. Additional rounds of amends can be made, billed at our hourly rate – we'd discuss before proceeding. To minimise additional rounds, we advise clients to spend quality time with each round presented so nothing is left out when you provide feedback. Feedback must be given in one email, doc or phone/video call, not spread over several emails or your notes take time to collate our end and information can sometimes be missed. We recommend clients spend a few days with work presented, and collate your feedback into a Word or Google Doc that can be easily located in a Google Drive folder or in Dropbox.
  • Do you do copywriting?
    Yes we do. Sarah is a masters graduate and has been the writer behind most of her clients brand stories and messaging over the last 11+ years. And as we've increasingly produced websites, she has written or edited most of the copy. We get you to send us as much information as you can about your brand and offering, even if its in bullet points, then we can pull it all together using a tone-of-voice that will resonate with your audience. We can also help with brand and product naming and bi-lines/taglines. Copywriting is charged at an hourly rate.
  • Do you manage printing?
    Yes we can manage printing for you for a fee, this involves sourcing quotes, arranging samples/proofs, managing artwork, checking final proofs on the press and liaising between all parties. The cost of printing is additional, we will either invoice you for printing or for some large print jobs we'll organise for you to pay directly. We don't add a mark-up on printing, our time is covered in the print management fee. If you already have a printer you'd like to use, we're happy to work with them, whether they're Auckland based, South Island or overseas.
  • Can you organise photography?
    Yes we have fantastic Auckland-based photographers we call on, depending on the style you need: portrait, product, landscape or interiors. We'll work with you to establish a photography brief that includes a mood board, then source a couple of quotes for you to choose from. If you're located outside of Auckland or internationally, this is also possible to arrange remotely. We charge for our time but we don't add a mark-up to the photographers fee. And if you already have a photographer we're more than happy to work with them. If professional photography doesn't work for your budget, we can source stock images for you. We mostly use istockphoto.com which are good value, but there are a reasonably good selection of royality-free images available, although you do run the risk of other brands using them too.
  • Do you retouch photo's?
    Yes we do basic Photoshop retouching but if the job requires a specialist we can get quotes together for you. We can adjust professional photography and stock images to suit your brand, eg. colour grade. If you don't have professional photography, we often work with iPhone images and video, applying filters and adjustments to get them closer to a professionally-taken shot, but they have to be supplied in high resolution.
  • I have a lot of photo's to share, how can I send large files?
    Content can be shared via Dropbox, Google Drive or by sending using free file-sharing website www.wetransfer.com Its important your files are organised into named folders, to make finding images easier/faster our end.
  • Can my inhouse designer roll out other items once the new branding is complete?
    They sure can, we provide a brand folder which contains logo formats for digital and print use, a style guide (brand guidelines) which specifies colours, fonts, photography style and how all these elements are used together. Note that fonts are usually licensed and may need to be purchased for use your end. We also offer design templates in Google Docs & Slides, Word, Powerpoint, Keynote, Apple Pages, Mailchimp and Canva. Or if your designer has Adobe CC (InDesign, Illustrator), we can supply our working files created in these programs.
  • What's the difference between a logo and branding?
    A logo is the symbol or wordmark you'll use to represent your company. Branding, or brand design system, is the logo PLUS the fonts and colours you'll use on a page or post, the way you lay out all of these elements, the style of photography you use, the tone-of-voice in your messaging, these are all parts of your brand's identity, your branding. Note that you'll require multiple iterations of a logo, for different uses. For example a 'full' logo which is your primary logo and may include a bi-line, a simplified version for your social media circle profile, and a small icon used for your website favicon.
  • How long does a branding project take?
    Our Brand Package usually takes around 6 – 8 weeks, but this can vary on both our workloads (yours and ours), if you're unable to give feedback on key dates established in the timeline then delivery will get pushed out. The timeline is a guide, we understand how little time owner-operators have! We can work to your pace.
  • I'm not in Auckland, can we work remotely?
    Absolutely, we can video chat via Zoom, Skype or Facetime, work will be presented over a shared screen Zoom call and/or by PDF (email) with accompanied notes. We work with clients from Auckland, New Zealand-wide, Sydney, London and Europe. Working across different time zones doesn't effect the length of a project, just means a few meetings outside of NZ work hours!
  • I need a job done urgently, is this possible?
    Generally yes, if we're able to push out a less urgent booking, contact me to discuss sarah@dossier.co.nz
  • How many rounds of amends can I make?
    We generally allow for 2 rounds of amends, but it depends on your project and what we specified in your cost estimate. Additional rounds of amends can be made, billed at our hourly rate – we'd discuss before proceeding. To minimise additional rounds, we advise clients to spend quality time with each round presented so nothing is left out when you provide feedback. Feedback must be given in one email, doc or phone/video call, not spread over several emails or your notes take time to collate our end and information can sometimes be missed. We recommend clients spend a few days with work presented, and collate your feedback into a Word or Google Doc that can be easily located in a Google Drive folder or in Dropbox.
  • Do you do copywriting?
    Yes we do. Sarah is a masters graduate and has been the writer behind most of her clients brand stories and messaging over the last 11+ years. And as we've increasingly produced websites, she has written or edited most of the copy. We get you to send us as much information as you can about your brand and offering, even if its in bullet points, then we can pull it all together using a tone-of-voice that will resonate with your audience. We can also help with brand and product naming and bi-lines/taglines. Copywriting is charged at an hourly rate.
  • Do you manage printing?
    Yes we can manage printing for you for a fee, this involves sourcing quotes, arranging samples/proofs, managing artwork, checking final proofs on the press and liaising between all parties. The cost of printing is additional, we will either invoice you for printing or for some large print jobs we'll organise for you to pay directly. We don't add a mark-up on printing, our time is covered in the print management fee. If you already have a printer you'd like to use, we're happy to work with them, whether they're Auckland based, South Island or overseas.
  • Can you organise photography?
    Yes we have fantastic Auckland-based photographers we call on, depending on the style you need: portrait, product, landscape or interiors. We'll work with you to establish a photography brief that includes a mood board, then source a couple of quotes for you to choose from. If you're located outside of Auckland or internationally, this is also possible to arrange remotely. We charge for our time but we don't add a mark-up to the photographers fee. And if you already have a photographer we're more than happy to work with them. If professional photography doesn't work for your budget, we can source stock images for you. We mostly use istockphoto.com which are good value, but there are a reasonably good selection of royality-free images available, although you do run the risk of other brands using them too.
  • Do you retouch photo's?
    Yes we do basic Photoshop retouching but if the job requires a specialist we can get quotes together for you. We can adjust professional photography and stock images to suit your brand, eg. colour grade. If you don't have professional photography, we often work with iPhone images and video, applying filters and adjustments to get them closer to a professionally-taken shot, but they have to be supplied in high resolution.
  • I have a lot of photo's to share, how can I send large files?
    Content can be shared via Dropbox, Google Drive or by sending using free file-sharing website www.wetransfer.com Its important your files are organised into named folders, to make finding images easier/faster our end.
  • Can my inhouse designer roll out other items once the new branding is complete?
    They sure can, we provide a brand folder which contains logo formats for digital and print use, a style guide (brand guidelines) which specifies colours, fonts, photography style and how all these elements are used together. Note that fonts are usually licensed and may need to be purchased for use your end. We also offer design templates in Google Docs & Slides, Word, Powerpoint, Keynote, Apple Pages, Mailchimp and Canva. Or if your designer has Adobe CC (InDesign, Illustrator), we can supply our working files created in these programs.
  • What's the difference between a logo and branding?
    A logo is the symbol or wordmark you'll use to represent your company. Branding, or brand design system, is the logo PLUS the fonts and colours you'll use on a page or post, the way you lay out all of these elements, the style of photography you use, the tone-of-voice in your messaging, these are all parts of your brand's identity, your branding. Note that you'll require multiple iterations of a logo, for different uses. For example a 'full' logo which is your primary logo and may include a bi-line, a simplified version for your social media circle profile, and a small icon used for your website favicon.
  • How long does a branding project take?
    Our Brand Package usually takes around 6 – 8 weeks, but this can vary on both our workloads (yours and ours), if you're unable to give feedback on key dates established in the timeline then delivery will get pushed out. The timeline is a guide, we understand how little time owner-operators have! We can work to your pace.
  • I'm not in Auckland, can we work remotely?
    Absolutely, we can video chat via Zoom, Skype or Facetime, work will be presented over a shared screen Zoom call and/or by PDF (email) with accompanied notes. We work with clients from Auckland, New Zealand-wide, Sydney, London and Europe. Working across different time zones doesn't effect the length of a project, just means a few meetings outside of NZ work hours!
  • I need a job done urgently, is this possible?
    Generally yes, if we're able to push out a less urgent booking, contact me to discuss sarah@dossier.co.nz
  • How many rounds of amends can I make?
    We generally allow for 2 rounds of amends, but it depends on your project and what we specified in your cost estimate. Additional rounds of amends can be made, billed at our hourly rate – we'd discuss before proceeding. To minimise additional rounds, we advise clients to spend quality time with each round presented so nothing is left out when you provide feedback. Feedback must be given in one email, doc or phone/video call, not spread over several emails or your notes take time to collate our end and information can sometimes be missed. We recommend clients spend a few days with work presented, and collate your feedback into a Word or Google Doc that can be easily located in a Google Drive folder or in Dropbox.
  • Do you do copywriting?
    Yes we do. Sarah is a masters graduate and has been the writer behind most of her clients brand stories and messaging over the last 11+ years. And as we've increasingly produced websites, she has written or edited most of the copy. We get you to send us as much information as you can about your brand and offering, even if its in bullet points, then we can pull it all together using a tone-of-voice that will resonate with your audience. We can also help with brand and product naming and bi-lines/taglines. Copywriting is charged at an hourly rate.
  • Do you manage printing?
    Yes we can manage printing for you for a fee, this involves sourcing quotes, arranging samples/proofs, managing artwork, checking final proofs on the press and liaising between all parties. The cost of printing is additional, we will either invoice you for printing or for some large print jobs we'll organise for you to pay directly. We don't add a mark-up on printing, our time is covered in the print management fee. If you already have a printer you'd like to use, we're happy to work with them, whether they're Auckland based, South Island or overseas.
  • Can you organise photography?
    Yes we have fantastic Auckland-based photographers we call on, depending on the style you need: portrait, product, landscape or interiors. We'll work with you to establish a photography brief that includes a mood board, then source a couple of quotes for you to choose from. If you're located outside of Auckland or internationally, this is also possible to arrange remotely. We charge for our time but we don't add a mark-up to the photographers fee. And if you already have a photographer we're more than happy to work with them. If professional photography doesn't work for your budget, we can source stock images for you. We mostly use istockphoto.com which are good value, but there are a reasonably good selection of royality-free images available, although you do run the risk of other brands using them too.
  • Do you retouch photo's?
    Yes we do basic Photoshop retouching but if the job requires a specialist we can get quotes together for you. We can adjust professional photography and stock images to suit your brand, eg. colour grade. If you don't have professional photography, we often work with iPhone images and video, applying filters and adjustments to get them closer to a professionally-taken shot, but they have to be supplied in high resolution.
  • I have a lot of photo's to share, how can I send large files?
    Content can be shared via Dropbox, Google Drive or by sending using free file-sharing website www.wetransfer.com Its important your files are organised into named folders, to make finding images easier/faster our end.
  • Can my inhouse designer roll out other items once the new branding is complete?
    They sure can, we provide a brand folder which contains logo formats for digital and print use, a style guide (brand guidelines) which specifies colours, fonts, photography style and how all these elements are used together. Note that fonts are usually licensed and may need to be purchased for use your end. We also offer design templates in Google Docs & Slides, Word, Powerpoint, Keynote, Apple Pages, Mailchimp and Canva. Or if your designer has Adobe CC (InDesign, Illustrator), we can supply our working files created in these programs.
  • What's the difference between a logo and branding?
    A logo is the symbol or wordmark you'll use to represent your company. Branding, or brand design system, is the logo PLUS the fonts and colours you'll use on a page or post, the way you lay out all of these elements, the style of photography you use, the tone-of-voice in your messaging, these are all parts of your brand's identity, your branding. Note that you'll require multiple iterations of a logo, for different uses. For example a 'full' logo which is your primary logo and may include a bi-line, a simplified version for your social media circle profile, and a small icon used for your website favicon.
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